原文出自1961年1月20日美国第35任总统约翰·F·肯尼迪的就职演说。肯尼迪总统就职演说原文如下：
JohnF.KennedyINAUGURALADDRESS
FRIDAY,JANUARY20,1961
VicePresidentJohnson,Mr.Speaker,Mr.ChiefJustice,PresidentEisenhower,VicePresidentNixon,PresidentTruman,reverendclergy,fellowcitizens,weobservetodaynotavictoryofparty,butacelebrationoffreedom--symbolizinganend,aswellasabeginning--signifyingrenewal,aswellaschange.ForIhaveswornIbeforeyouandAlmightyGodthesamesolemnoathourforebearslprescribednearlyacenturyandthreequartersago.
Theworldisverydifferentnow.Formanholdsinhismortalhandsthepowertoabolishallformsofhumanpovertyandallformsofhumanlife.Andyetthesamerevolutionarybeliefsforwhichourforebearsfoughtarestillatissuearoundtheglobe--thebeliefthattherightsofmancomenotfromthegenerosityofthestate,butfromthehandofGod.
Wedarenotforgettodaythatwearetheheirsofthatfirstrevolution.Letthewordgoforthfromthistimeandplace,tofriendandfoealike,thatthetorchhasbeenpassedtoanewgenerationofAmericans--borninthiscentury,temperedbywar,disciplinedbyahardandbitterpeace,proudofourancientheritage--andunwillingtowitnessorpermittheslowundoingofthosehumanrightstowhichthisNationhasalwaysbeencommitted,andtowhichwearecommittedtodayathomeandaroundtheworld.
Leteverynationknow,whetheritwishesuswellorill,thatweshallpayanyprice,bearanyburden,meetanyhardship,supportanyfriend,opposeanyfoe,inordertoassurethesurvivalandthesuccessofliberty.
Thismuchwepledge--andmore.
Tothoseoldallieswhoseculturalandspiritualoriginsweshare,wepledgetheloyaltyoffaithfulfriends.United,thereislittlewecannotdoinahostofcooperativeventures.Divided,thereislittlewecando--forwedarenotmeetapowerfulchallengeatoddsandsplitasunder.
TothosenewStateswhomwewelcometotheranksofthefree,wepledgeourwordthatoneformofcolonialcontrolshallnothavepassedawaymerelytobereplacedbyafarmoreirontyranny.Weshallnotalwaysexpecttofindthemsupportingourview.Butweshallalwayshopetofindthemstronglysupportingtheirownfreedom--andtorememberthat,inthepast,thosewhofoolishlysoughtpowerbyridingthebackofthetigerendedupinsidect.
Tothosepeoplesinthehutsandvillagesacrosstheglobestrugglingtobreakthebondsofmassmisery,wepledgeourbesteffortstohelpthemhelpthelves,forwhateverperiodisrequired--notausetheCommunistsmaybedoingit,notauseweseektheirvotes,butauseitisright.Ifafreesocietycannothelpthemanywhoarepoor,itcannotsavethefewwhoarerich.
Tooursisterrepublicssouthofourborder,weofferaspecialpledge--toconvertourgoodwordsintogooddeeds--inanewallianceforpross--toassistfreemenandfreegovernmentsincastingoffthechainsofpoverty.Butthispeacefulrevolutionofhopecannotomethepreyofhostilepowers.LetallourneighborsknowthatweshalljoinwiththemtoopposeagssionorsubversionanywhereintheAmericas.AndleteveryotherpowerknowthatthisHemisphereintendstoremainthemasterofitsownhouse.
Tothatworldassemblyofsovereignstates,theUnitedNations,ourlastbesthopeinanagewheretheinstrumentsofwarhavefaroutpacedtheinstrumentsofpeace,werenewourpledgeofsupport--topreventitfromomingmerelyaforumforinvective--tostrengthenitsshieldofthenewandtheweak--andtoenlargetheareainwhichitswritmayrun.
Finally,tothosenationswhowouldmakethelvesouradversary,weoffernotapledgebutarequest:thatbothsidesbeginanewthequestforpeace,beforethedarkpowersofdestructionunleashedbyscienceengulfallhumanityinplannedoraccidentalself-destruction.
Wedarenottemptthemwithweakness.Foronlywhenourarmsaresufficientbeyonddoubtcanwebecertainbeyonddoubtthattheywillneverbeemployed.
Butneithercantwoatandpowerfulgroupsofnationstakecomfortfromourpresentcourse--bothsidesoverburdenedbythecostofmodernweapons,bothrightlyalarmedbythesteadyspreadofthedeadlyatom,yetbothracingtoalterthatuncertainbalanceofterrorthatstaysthehandofmankind'sfinalwar.
Soletusbeginanew--rememberingonbothsidesthatcivilityisnotasignofweakness,andsincerityisalwayssubjecttoproof.Letusnevernegotiateoutoffear.Butletusneverfeartonegotiate.
Letbothsidesexplorewhatproblemsuniteusinsteadofbelaboringthoseproblemswhichdivideus.
Letbothsides,forthefirsttime,formulateseriousandpreciseproposalsfortheinspectionandcontrolofarms--andbringtheabsolutepowertodestroyothernationsundertheabsolutecontrolofallnations.
Letbothsidesseektoinvokethewondersofscienceinsteadofitsterrors.Togetherletusexplorethestars,conquerthedeserts,eradicatedisease,taptheoceandepths,andencouragetheartsandcommerce.
LetbothsidesunitetoheedinallcornersoftheearththecommandofIsaiah--to"undotheheavyburdens...andtolettheoppressedgofree."
Andifabeachheadofcooperationmaypushbackthejungleofsuspicion,letbothsidesjoinincreatinganewendeavor,notanewbalanceofpower,butanewworldoflaw,wherethestrongarejustandtheweaksecureandthepeacepreserved.
Allthiswillnotbefinishedinthefirst100days.Norwillitbefinishedinthefirst1,000days,norinthelifeofthisAdministration,norevenperhapsinourlifetimeonthisplanet.Butletusbegin.
Inyourhands,myfellowcitizens,morethaninmine,willrestthefinalsuccessorfailureofourcourse.Sincethiscountrywasfounded,eachgenerationofAmericanshasbeensummonedtogivetestimonytoitsnationalloyalty.ThegravesofyoungAmericanswhoansweredthecalltoservicesurroundtheglobe.
Nowthetrumpetsummonsusagain--notasacalltobeararms,thougharmsweneed;notasacalltobattle,thoughembattledweare--butacalltobeartheburdenofalongtwilightstruggle,yearinandyearout,"rejoicinginhope,patientintribulation"--astruggleagainstthecommonenemiesofman:tyranny,poverty,disease,andwaritself.
Canweforgeagainsttheseenemiesagrandandglobalalliance,NorthandSouth,EastandWest,thatcanassureamorefruitfullifeforallmankind?Willyoujoininthathistoriceffort?
Inthelonghistoryoftheworld,onlyafewgenerationshavebeengrantedtheroleofdefendingfreedominitshourofmaximumdanger.Idonotshankfromthisresponsibility--Iwelcomeit.Idonotbelievethatanyofuswouldexchangeplaceswithanyotherpeopleoranyothergeneration.Theenergy,thefaith,thedevotionwhichwebringtothisendeavorwilllightourcountryandallwhoserveit--andtheglowfromthatfirecantrulylighttheworld.
Andso,myfellowAmericans:asknotwhatyourcountrycandoforyou--askwhatyoucandoforyourcountry.
Myfellowcitizensoftheworld:asknotwhatAmericawilldoforyou,butwhattogetherwecandoforthefreedomofman.
Finally,whetheryouarecitizensofAmericaorcitizensoftheworld,askofusthesamehighstandardsofstrengthandsacrificewhichweaskofyou.Withagoodconscienceouronlysurereward,withhistorythefinaljudgeofourdeeds,letusgoforthtoleadthelandwelove,askingHisblessingandHishelp,butknowingthathereonearthGod'sworkmusttrulybeourown.
约翰·肯尼迪在第二次世界大战期间，他曾在南太平洋英勇救助了落水海军船员，因而获颁紫心勋章。在他总统任期内的主要事件包括：猪湾事件、古巴导弹危机、柏林墙的建立、太空竞赛、越南战争的早期活动以及美国民权运动。
在针对美国总统功绩的排名中，肯尼迪通常被历史学家列在排名的中部偏上的位置，但他却一直被大多数美国民众视为历史上最伟大的总统之一。
肯尼迪于1963年11月22日遇刺身亡，官方在随后的调查报告中公布的结果表明，李·哈维·奥斯瓦尔德是杀害总统的凶手。
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